Akemi Negishi

Akemi Negishi (根岸 明美, Negishi Akemi, 26 March 1934 – 11 March 2008), born in Minato, Tokyo, Japan was a renowned Japanese actress. Tokyo-born Akemi Negishi made her mark on international audiences when she starred in the US/Japanese co-production Anatahan, her debut film directed by Josef von Sternberg, a tale about shipwrecked Japanese soldiers who refused to believe that World War II had ended six years after the bombing of Hiroshima. Negishi had the privilege to work several times with the acclaimed Japanese film director Akira Kurosawa, their collaborations included Donzoko (The Lower Depths), Dodesukaden, and Ikimono no kiroku (I Live in Fear). Notably, Negishi also had a supporting role in Shurayukihime (Lady Snowblood), which was reportedly one of the main inspirations for Quentin Tarantino's film Kill Bill. Some of her other notable works included Tokyo no kyujitsu (Tokyo Holiday), Half Human: The Story of the Abominable Snowman (aka Half Human, with John Carradine), King Kong vs. Godzilla and Kaidan hebi-onna (Snake Woman's Curse). Her last film role was in Barameraba in 2005. Unfortunately, her life was cut short and she passed away from ovarian cancer, aged 73, in Kawasaki, Japan in 2008.